1. Field of the Invention(s)
The present invention(s) relate to wireless networks and, more particularly, wireless repeaters in a wireless network, such as a microwave network.
2. Description of Related Art
Wireless network signal repeaters (also referred to herein as wireless repeaters) are commonly utilized in various types of wireless networks, including microwave networks, and 802.11-based networks. In the context of microwave networks, wireless repeaters are useful in implementing point-to-point wireless network connections over long distances and over geographic areas that have line of sight-limiting obstacles (e.g., limited terrain clearance, such as in mountainous regions). Generally, a passive wireless repeater receives a wireless signal from a remote wireless transmitter and reflects the wireless signal to a remote wireless receiver using passive devices, such a parabolic antenna coupled to a waveguide. An active wireless repeater, on the other hand, comprises at least one wireless receiver (or transceiver) bridged to at least one wireless transmitter (or transceiver) such that the at least one wireless receiver can receive a first wireless signal from a remote wireless transmitter, and the at least one wireless transmitter can transmit to a remote wireless receiver a second wireless signal that is generated based on the first wireless signal received. In this way, the active repeater station can relay a wireless signal from the remote wireless transmitter to the remote wireless receiver, and can do so in situations where transmitting the wireless signal from the remote wireless transmitter to the remote wireless receiver would otherwise be difficult or impossible (e.g., due to distance, Earth curvature, terrain obstacles, etc.). Unfortunately, use of active or passive repeaters in a wireless signal path can introduce signal issues (e.g., signal loss or degradation) or result in undesirable effects, such as high latency with respect to communication of data over the wireless signal path.